The Diamond Shopaholic & all else I love…

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The Diamond Shopaholic & all else I love…
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  • Tag: diamonds

    • Pisto Manchego

      Posted at 12:11 am by EmmyAngela, on March 5, 2019

      Pisto Manchego, a hidden culinary gem!

      My family is originally from Spain, so I feel a strong bond with the country’s culture, especially at the table. If you think about it, gastronomy is a treasure, and home-cooked meals are true gems, hard to find these days. 

      Today I want to share with you a personal interest I have with a specific dish: Pisto Manchego. This is peasant food, uncomplicated but richly flavored. Pisto has been around for centuries, but with today’s food trends, the dish could easily be the new thing. 

      Here’s all you need to know about this healthy, vegetable-based dish, and all its possibilities. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. 

      So, Pisto Manchego is a vegetable dish. Zucchini, bell peppers, onion, and garlic are finely diced and sautéed in olive oil. They’re then incorporated with tomatoes to create a hard-to-beat, hearty stew, later enhanced with a pinch of cumin. Ideal as a side dish or as a light, vegan-friendly main course.

      Everyone makes Pisto Manchego differently. Every family in Spain follows their grandma’s recipe so, no pisto is alike. The main idea is to use any vegetable, ripe and ready to pick, from the back-yard orchard. 

      People in southern Spain, in Andalucía, often add potatoes and eggplant to their pisto. In the east, in the Province of Murcia, adding an egg to the mixture is common, which changes its texture. You’ll find people throwing tuna in there too, making it a whole meal!

      And there’s controversy too. Traditionalists will cook each vegetable separately to ensure every ingredient is au point; others will toss everything together in a hot pan; some will add finely diced tomatoes while others might just pour over ready-made tomato puree; purists will only use tomatoes and bell peppers while unconventional enthusiasts will even add bits of bacon. Decisions, decisions. 

      The dish is so simple that every step counts. You can taste the care put into it. It’s also a blank canvas that allows lots of creativity. The aim is always the same: Serve something delicious to the ones you love.  

      Now, how do you eat it? Well, it’s up to you. You can enjoy this dish both warm or cold with a pair of fried eggs on the side or a nice piece of sausage. Always have fresh slices of artisan bread at hand.

      The tangy tomatoes make this dish red wine friendly. Add pisto to your tapas repertoire and serve it in a traditional terracotta dish beside olives, cheese, cured hams, spicy potatoes and just enjoy the company. Talking about being a perfect host.

      Fun Fact! Both tomatoes and bell peppers, the main ingredients for this Spanish dish, come from the Americas and only arrived in Spain in the 16th century.

      My easy recipe:

      Ingredients:

      1 zucchini

      1 green pepper

      1 large eggplant (optional)

      1 red pepper

      2 to 3 cloves of garlic

      1/2 onion

      4 to 5 ripe tomatoes

      1 1/2 tsp. paprika ( I use sweet smoked paprika from Spain)

      1/2 tsp. cumin (optional)

      olive oil

      Salt and pepper to taste

      fresh parsley

      Finely chop the eggplant without removing the skin, chop the cloves of garlic, green pepper, red pepper, onion, and tomatoes.

      In a pan put a drizzle of virgin olive oil (I use extra virgin for more flavor). Slowly simmer (approx. 8 minutes) the pepper, onion, and garlic, add a little salt and pepper, remove them and drain well.

      In the same skillet, sauté the eggplant and zucchini, until soft, add the sauteed onions, peppers, garlic and the tomatoes with Paprika (I use pimenton de la vera dulce,) cook in low heat for approximately 10 minutes, leaving it to taste.

      When ready to serve, I usually add a fried egg in the center of the pan and let it set. (optional)

      Now you know, veggies can be exciting! Make your own Pisto Manchego and share your recipe with me. And don’t forget to browse around Diamonshopaholic.com for my views on jewelry, travel, food and more. Happy cooking!

      | 0 Comments Tagged #cuisine, #diamondshopaholic, #eggplant, #Food, #foodblog, #foodporn, #pepper, #pimenton, #pimentondelavera, #pisto, #pistomanchego, #spain, #spaincuisine, #spanishfood, #travel, #vegan, #vegetarian, cooking, diamonds, history
    • The 5th C of a diamond 💎

      Posted at 11:10 pm by EmmyAngela, on January 26, 2019

      Buying a diamond can be a very rewarding experience … but how knowledgeable are we? I’m sure most of us have heard of the 4 C’s but how aware are we of the unspoken 5th?

      I’m going to avoid entering too many technicalities and complex concepts and go straight into the fundamental points that help us to make a good decision.

      We are going to focus on what we call the 4 C’s:

      Cut

      Carat

      Color

      Clarity

      💎And a fifth C of utmost importance Confidence.

      1.Cut

      It refers to the shape of the diamond. The most usual is the brilliant cut, as it is the one that best reflects the natural brilliance of the diamond thanks to its 57 facets.

      2. Carat

      There are 100 points in 1 carat, so that a diamond weighing 3/4 carat would be a “75 point diamond. In summary:

      1 carat = 200 milligrams = 100 points

      3. Color

      The most valued diamonds are those considered colorless or with a faint coloration, usually yellow.

      To measure the degree ofcolor, an expert eye begins to appreciate slight yellow tones from graduation H. (See graphic below)

      There are several, but the Color scale of the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) is one of the mostused in this regard.

      In the next post of our diamonds blog we will talk about fancy colored diamonds called fancy, real rarities of nature and with a very high economic value.

      4. Clarity

      Diamonds are born under conditions of extreme temperature and pressure, their internal structure makes it the hardest mineral in nature. They also contain traces inside them formed by non-crystallized carbon called inclusions.

      These characteristics have internal features, (inclusions), and (surface) irregularities, called blemishes. The vast majority are not visible to the naked eye and can only be seen with a magnifying glass of ten magnifications without influencing the beauty of it, although logically the cleaner, the more extraordinary its quality and value .

      One of the most used graduation scales is the GIA (Gemological Institute of America).

      Being the maximum quality IF and the minimum I1

      5. Confidence (Trust)

      When buying a diamond, the Trust, confidence and the peace of mind that you are buying the right piece is paramount.

      In my own personal experience I have found that GBE Diamond Brokers have the desire and the permanent aspiration to advise you and help you choose the best diamond with the most appropriate budget.

      Their reliability and consistent services keep them at the highest levels of ethics and professionalism.

      GBE Diamond Brokers strive to offer a selection of diamonds with a maximum demand for quality-price ratio.
       

      I invite you to see their website www.gbediamonds.com where they will be happy to assist you.

      | 1 Comment Tagged #today, carat, clarity, color, confidence, diamond certificate, diamond education, diamonds, EGL, GAL, GBE, GIA
    • A diamond for Valentine’s

      Posted at 5:00 pm by EmmyAngela, on January 26, 2019

      It’s almost that time of the year guys! With a few weeks to Valentine’s Day, we bet you also feel the rush. Even Cupid is ready to tie some couples together, forever. This holiday, as you know, is all about the truest and purest expression of love, and nothing says ‘I love you’ more than a princess cut diamond with a ‘marry me’ inscription. Why not use this holiday to really remind that special one how much they mean to you and if the glass slipper fits, ask them to spend forever with you. However, no pressure, but if you’re not particularly ready to walk down the aisle just yet, you could still get that special someone a gift she would never forget.

      February possesses an aura of balance in the three planes and this is why the Amethyst is its gemstone. Channeling this aura into your life requires some sort of contact piece which in this case should be the amethyst stone. Gifting or engaging someone an amethyst diamond ring especially in the month of February opens them up to this serene level of balance possessed by this purple stone in the season of unconditional love. Purple even signifies royalty, so we’re guessing you’ve found your very own princess whom you’ve swept off her feet.

      Imagine this

      Close your eyes, you’re on the beach, wind on your face, down on one knee, your heart racing, all because of the one you love. This feeling is both sublime and scary at the same time, but we promise it’ll be totally worth it.

      gemstone and diamond halo fine jewelry rings


      This bold color exudes class, wealth and sophistication that is second to none. She’s going to love it and the only thing she’ll love more than her budding amethyst diamond engagement ring is you, her life partner.

      There’s no greater feeling than love. It is beautiful, it is freeing, and it is pure. February is about the endless possibilities of love.

      | 0 Comments Tagged #February14, #lovers, #today, amethyst, diamonds, engagement ring, February, gift, jewels, love, Valentine's Day
    • Buying a diamond?

      Posted at 5:04 am by EmmyAngela, on January 12, 2019

      Before venturing into the purchase of a cut diamond, it is necessary that you follow some useful tips to avoid making mistakes which you will later regret.

      Gabriel & Co. fine jewelry

      Helpful tips!

      💎It is important that the precious stone be analyzed during the day since in this way you will see the real color of the diamond.

      Avoid exposure under fluorescent tubes because this means that with this light you can not see the real color of the stone.

      Always require a certificate stating that the weight of the diamond is greater than 0.50 carats.

      You should also read the certificate of purchase and verify that it does not include in small letters the inscription “Clarity enhanced” or “Color enhanced” since this means that the color of the stone is not pure one hundred percent.

      DIAMOND CERTIFICATES

      When buying a diamond make sure you get a certificate of authenticity, which authenticates the diamond as such. It will explain its characteristics and laboratory grading. Why settle for anything less than perfection? Having your certificate of authenticity with your diamond will bring you not only peace of mind but also ensure you that the diamond is genuine.

      Please use the following links to learn more:

      •   Gemological Institute Of America (GIA): gia.edu

      •    American Gem Society (AGS): ags.org

      •    European Gemological Laboratory (EGL): eglusa.com

      •    Gemological Appraisal Laboratory Of America (GAL): gemlab.com

      Finally, it is advisable to choose diamonds whose purity is between IF that is in its pure state and the color D and I because if they are not included in this range they are not totally pure.💎

      | 0 Comments Tagged #today #diamonds, AGS, diamond certificate, diamond education, diamonds, EGL, GAL, GBE, GIA
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